The Flickr Geraldasoffenmemorialstation Image Generatr

“Viking Lander 2 took this color picture of the sky at the Utopia landing site Jan. 16, 1977. The view is possibly toward the south/southeast. The picture was taken about noon local lander time. The Sun is just outside the picture to the left, and its brightness has saturated the camera’s sensors. Opacity of the atmosphere has increased with the onset of autumn in northern hemisphere of Mars. Less light now penetrates the atmosphere than during the primary mission period last summer. There are two primary causes: an ice fog develops during the night and lasts through the morning. Soil particles suspended in the atmosphere have also increased. Extremely fine soil particles suspended in the atmosphere preferentially absorb blue light, producing the reddish color of the Martian sky.”

The above is per the caption I found for what I think to be a companion/associated image, with my editorial 'revision' based on what’s in the photograph.

Confirmation of it at least being Utopia Planitia:

www.msss.com/mars/pictures/viking_lander/l2c1pmq2q3.jpg
Credit: Malin Space Science Systems website

“Operation of the surface sampler in obtaining Martian soil for Viking 2's molecular analysis experiment last Saturday (September 25) was closely monitored by one of the Lander cameras because of the precision required in trenching the small area--8 by 9 inches--surrounded by rocks. Dubbed “Bonneville Salt Flats,” the exposure of thin crust appeared unique in contrast with surrounding materials and became a prime target for organic analysis in spite of potential hazards. Large rock in foreground is 8 inches high. At left, the sampler scoop has touched the surface, missing the rock at upper left by a comfortable 6 inches, and the backhoe has penetrated the surface about one-half inch. The scoop was then pulled back to sample the desired point and (second photo) the backhoe furrowed the surface pulling a piece of thin crust toward the spacecraft. The initial touchdown and retraction sequence was used to avoid a collision between a rock in the shadow of the arm and a plate joining the arm and scoop. The rock was cleared by 2 to 3 inches. The third picture was taken 8 minutes after the scoop touched the surface and shows that the collector head has acquired a quantity of soil. With surface sampler withdrawn (right), the foot-long trench is seen between the rocks. The trench is three inches wide and about 1 1/2 to 2 inches deep. The scoop reached to within 3 inches of the rock at far end of trench. Penetration appears to have left a cavernous opening roofed by the crust and only about one inch of undisturbed crust separates the deformed surface and the rock.”

Note the dramatically different appearance...of everything, under the different sun angles.

Above and image also at:

photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA00145
Credit: JPL Photojournal

“Viking Lander 2 took this color picture of the sky at the Utopia landing site Jan. 16, 1977. The view is toward the southeast. The picture was taken about noon local lander time. The Sun is just outside the picture to the right, and its brightness has saturated the camera’s sensors. Opacity of the atmosphere has increased with the onset of autumn in northern hemisphere of Mars. Less light now penetrates the atmosphere than during the primary mission period last summer. There are two primary causes: an ice fog develops during the night and lasts through the morning. Soil particles suspended in the atmosphere have also increased. Extremely fine soil particles suspended in the atmosphere preferentially absorb blue light, producing the reddish color of the Martian sky.”

The only other place I found the image, ugh:

www.granger.com/results.asp?image=0185645&itemw=4&amp...

"The boulder-strewn field of red rocks reaches to the horizon nearly two miles from Viking 2 on Mars' Utopian Plain. Scientists believe the colors of the Martian surface and sky in this photo represent their true colors. Fine particles of red dust have settled on spacecraft surfaces. The salmon color of the sky is caused by dust particles suspended in the atmosphere. Color calibration charts for the cameras are mounted at three locations on the spacecraft. Note the blue star field and red stripes of the flag. The circular structure at top is the high-gain antenna, pointed toward Earth. Viking 2 landed September 3,1976, some 4600 miles from its twin, Viking 1, which touched down on July 20."

photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA01522
Credit: JPL photojournal website

"A UTOPIAN BRIGHT SUMMER AFTERNOON ON MARS—-Looking south from Viking 2 on September 6, 1976, the orange-red surface of the nearly level plain upon which the spacecraft sits is seen strewn with rocks as large as three feet across. Many of these rocks are porous and sponge-like, similar to some of Earth's volcanic rocks. Other rocks are coarse-grained such as the large rock at lower left. Between the rocks, the surface is blanketed with fine-grained material that, in places, is piled into small drifts and banked against some of the larger blocks. The cylindrical mast with the orange cable is the low-gain antenna used to receive commands from Earth."

www.jpl.nasa.gov/spaceimages/details.php?id=PIA00569
Credit: JPL website

Viking 2 Lander image showing patches of ground frost at the Utopia Planitia site on Mars. The image was taken at 12:32 local time in late northern winter. The frost layer is extremely thin, only a few hundredths of a mm thick. The frost persisted at temperatures higher than the freezing point of carbon dioxide, and so must be water ice or some combination of water and carbon dioxide ice. The landing site is at 47.6 N, 225.7 W and the view is looking due SWW.

nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/imgcat/html/object_page/vl2_22e169.html